The Portland St. Patrick golf team will have a different look to it in 2013.

With only one senior and one junior returning this spring, the Shamrocks have gone from an experienced squad to only having two returning golfers from the 2012 squad. St. Pat's coach Mike Wilcox will have three freshmen round out the rest of his varsity squad heading into the season.

Ninth graders Alex Fedewa, Josh Osborne and Will Leik will be looked upon to learn on the fly.

"We will be leaning on our freshmen heavily," Wilcox said. "Alex has played in a few summer junior tournaments and Josh has some experience as well. Will is a young and inexperienced player, but he is eager to learn."

Leading the team this year will be lone senior Chelsea Pline, while junior Nick Fuller also will bring some experience to the club.

Wilcox said Pline will be the team captain this season and has played a big role in getting the younger players ready for the season.

"Chelsea is in her fourth year and is going to be the glue that keeps the team together," he said. "She has already been a leader in the preseason during practice, helping our younger players with their short game around the green. Nick has only played on our team for one year, but he showed a lot of improvement throughout last season."

With such a young team, Wilcox said he is looking for his players to get better as the season goes on and hopes to build toward the future of the program.

"I would like to see the program get back to the level it was," he said. "St. Pat's golf used to be a top program in the state, and we won a state title back in 1992."

After finishing tied for fifth in the Central Michigan Athletic Conference last season, Wilcox is hoping that his young group can compete once again for a spot in the top half of the league standings. However, he said the league is going to be very competitive, with Fowler, Bath and Laingsburg possibly being the top teams.

"Fowler has a lot of returning players back from last season and Bath's Dylan Parks is one of the top players in the league," he said. I think they will make Fowler have to earn the title this season."

The Shamrocks will open the 2013 campaign on April 13 at Huckleberry Creek in Pewamo in the Pewamo-Westphalia Preseason Tournament.